We don't guarantee a set amount of time. We presently have one admin who approves accounts and sometimes she sleeps or leaves her compute...

We don't guarantee a set amount of time. We presently have one admin who approves accounts and sometimes she sleeps or leaves her computer for coffee. If you join while she's at her computer, you could be up and running in minutes. If you join while she's sleeping, it could be eight hours (Probably not. She's not that lucky.)

While this may seem like a total pain in the rear for newcomers, it helps us handle moderation better. With one admin and only a few volunteers moderating, it would get pretty nutty if anyone could just walk in at any point in time. We don't like playing Whack-a-Mole with accounts we've deactivated either, so we check who's coming in before we unlock the door. It makes for a better experience for our existing members, even though it can take a little while to get in.

It's generally safe to say that if your account has not been activated within 24-48 hours, it probably won't be. If you used privacy software or a proxy when you joined, that's probably why you didn't get activated. If this is the case, withdraw your entry/ close the account, skip the proxy, and sign up again. If you can't figure out why you didn't get in and it's been more than 24 hours, you can use the "Contact Admin" link on the bottom of the page to check with the admin.

There are usually only three reasons accounts don't get approved...1) You didn't verify your email address. We send out a confirmation me...

There are usually only three reasons accounts don't get approved...

1) You didn't verify your email address. We send out a confirmation message when you sign up. If you didn't see yours and click the link in it, check your spam folder.

2)You used a proxy, privacy software, or other obfuscation program when signing up.

3) You currently have or have had an account in poor standing with the Mug.

We try to maintain a pleasant atmosphere on answerMug, but we are run entirely by a small group of volunteers. As such, we try to stop the riff-raff at the door, by blocking accounts that carry the same characteristics as spammers or known trolls.

Our admin occasionally sleeps at night or steps away from her PC, so there may be times when it takes a few hours before your account is activated, although accounts are generally made live within a couple of hours, if not minutes.

If you have been waiting more than 24 hours and your account has not yet been activated, please double check that you weren't using any kind of "privacy" software when you applied. People who appear as "ghosts," shut off their cookies, use proxies, VPNs, etc., will not have their accounts activated. If you use any of these things, please turn it off and apply again. You can turn it back on as soon as your account goes live. To be clear, we are not referring to antivirus software- leave that on! However, the use of any kind of obfuscation program will likely get your account blacklisted.

If you are 100% certain you are not using one of these programs and you still have not had your account approved within 24 hours, and you verified your email address, please contact the admin.

Start by signing up. There may be a brief period of time while your account is waiting authorization from an admin before you ...

Start by signing up. There may be a brief period of time while your account is waiting authorization from an admin before you can begin posting, but you will receive an e-mail as soon as you're approved. Once that happens, jump in wherever you'd like. It's not a bad idea to browse the FAQ some more and review the tutorials while you wait.